For the meanings of the initials in brackets at the end of many of the entries, click here.

Tabu: A Story of the South Seas(1931) No MPAA Rating; Director: F.W. Murnau. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse(1940) No MPAA Rating; Director: Unlisted. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Take the Lead(2006) MPAA Rating: G; Director: Liz Friedlander. This is an excellent film about a ballroom dance teacher in New York City who used his skills to transform a class of delinquent underachieving kids. It is based on a true story and the program he created is still going strong. The film is excellent and well worth the time to watch it. [LI](JAF & DEF 2006)

Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story(1992) MPAA Rating: PG; Director: Harry Winer. See the section on this movie in The Motion Picture Prescription.

Take the Money and Run(1969) MPAA Rating: R; Director: Woody Allen. This film is ranked #66 on the American Film Institute's List of the 100 Funniest American Movies of All Time (2006).

The Talented Mr. Ripley(1999) MPAA Rating: R for violence, language and brief nudity; Director: Anthony Minghella. This film is about an evil and diabolical person with no redeeming virtues. We could not see a way to make it into a device to teach children. [NR](JAF)

Talk to Me(2007) MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language and some sexual content; Director: Kasi Lemmons. This movie has little to do with the real Petey Greene. The director, Kasi Lemmons, purposely did not read Mr. Greene's biography. She stated that she wanted to create a work of fiction and not a biopic. Mr. Greene's family has objected to the film because it falsely stated that Mr. Greene was an alcoholic, a womanizer and it misrepresented his relationship with Dewey Hughes, a radio executive. "New Rules for 'based on a true story'", by Ann Hornady (Washington Post) Los Angeles Times, Friday, December 26, 2007, pp. E26 & 27.(JAF & DEF)

The Tall T(1957) No MPAA Rating; Director: Budd Boetticher. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

The Taming of the Shrew(1967) No MPAA Rating; Director: Franco Zeffirelli. The husband intimidates his wife and then entices her to good behavior with clothes and baubles. This won't wash with young audiences. We know it's Shakespeare but overall this play/film has a negative message. This film has been Suggested by a TWM User. TWM disagrees. [NR](JAF)

The T.A.M.I. Show(1964) No MPAA Rating; Director: Steve Binder. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Tarzan and His Mate(1934) MPAA Rating: Approved; Director: Cedric Gibbons. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Taxi Driver(1976) MPAA Rating: R; Director: Martin Scorsese. This film is ranked #47 on the American Film Institute's List of the 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time (2006). This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Tea and Sympathy(1956) No MPAA Rating; Director: Vincente Minnelli. See the section on this movie in Past Imperfect.

The Tell-Tale Heart(1953) No MPAA Rating; Director: Ted Parmelee. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Tess of the Storm Country(1914) No MPAA Rating; Director: Edwin S. Porter. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Tevye(1939) No MPAA Rating; Director: Maurice Schwartz. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film. Yiddish with English Subtitles The movie is inaccessible but gives a good view of Jewish life in Russia. [NA](JAF)

Their Eyes Were Watching God(2005) Made for TV and not rated by the MPRR but probably would be R for scenes of sensuality; Director: Darnell Martin This is an interesting film that gets its point across. We have not read the book, which is a popular assignment in high school. Our reaction to the film is that the scenes of sensuality, which are graphic only in French kissing, go on for too long and distract from the story. Before using this film as a reward for reading the book, teachers should review it carefully and get parental permission. (JAF and DEF, 2012) [NR]

Thelma and Louise(1991) MPAA Rating: R for strong language, and for some violence and sensuality; Director: Ridley Scott. The MPAA got this one right. This film is too violent for adults to recommend it to children. See the section on this movie in The Motion Picture Prescription. However, TWM does recommend the first few minutes of this film, in which there is no violence or sensuality, as a way to teach characterization. See Snippet showing Characterization in "Thelma and Louise"(JAF, 2009) NR

There It Is(1928) MPAA Rating: Approved; Director: Harold L. Muller. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

There's Something About Mary(1998) MPAA Rating: R for strong comic sexual content and language; Directors: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly. This film is ranked #27 on the American Film Institute's List of the 100 Funniest American Movies of All Time (2006).

They Died With Their Boots On(1942); No MPAA Rating; Director: Raoul Walsh. Some historians contend that this film is not historically accurate. See the sections on this movie in History Goes to the Movies and Past Imperfect. [NR]

They Won't Believe Me(1947) No MPAA Rating; Director: Irving Pichel. See the section on this movie in Reel Justice.

They Won't Forget(1937) No MPAA Rating; Director: Mervyn LeRoy. See the section on this movie in Reel Justice.

The Thief of Bagdad(1924) MPAA Rating: Approved; Director: Raoul Walsh. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

A Thief of Time(2004)
TV: No MPAA Rating; Director: Chris Eyre. Set on a Navajo reservation, this murder mystery deals tangentially with the illegal trade in Native American pottery. The film is plagued by a defective script, poor production values, spotty acting, and inconsistent direction. There is little educational content. [ITO & NR](JAF & DEF)

The Thin Blue Line(1988) No MPAA Rating; Director: Errol Morris. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film. See the section on this movie in Reel Justice. See the entry for this film in Reading in the Reel World: Teaching Documentaries and Other Nonfiction Texts by John Golden, National Council of Teachers of English, 2006. (JAF & DEF)

The Thin Man(1934) No MPAA Rating; Director: W.S. Van Dyke. This film is ranked #32 on the American Film Institute's List of the 100 Funniest American Movies of All Time (2006). This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

The Thin Red Line(1998) MPAA Rating: R for realistic war violence and language; Director: Terence Malick. See the section on this movie in History Goes to the Movies.

The Thing from Another World(1951) MPAA Rating: Approved; Director: Christian Nyby. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Think of Me First as a Person(1975) No MPAA Rating; Director: George Ingmire. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

The Third Man(1949) No MPAA Rating; Director: Carol Reed. This film is ranked #57 on the American Film Institute's List of the 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time (2006).

The Third Miracle(1999) MPAA Rating: R for some language, sex-related and violent images, and brief drug use; Director: Agnieszka Holland. Suggested by a TWM User.

This Boy's Life(1993) MPAA Rating: R for strong language and sexuality; Director: Michael Caton-Jones. See the section on this movie in The Motion Picture Prescription.

This is Cinerama(1952) MPAA Rating: G; Directors: Merian C. Cooper and Gunther von Fritsch. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

This Is Spinal Tap(1984) MPAA Rating: R; Director: Rob Reiner. This film is ranked #29 on the American Film Institute's List of the 100 Funniest American Movies of All Time (2006). This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film. See the entry for this film in Reading in the Reel World: Teaching Documentaries and Other Nonfiction Texts by John Golden, National Council of Teachers of English, 2006. (JAF & DEF, 2013)

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines(1965) No MPAA Rating; Director: Ken Annakin. This movie plays on every stereotypical treatment imaginable for the French, Germans, Italians and the English. [ITO] and [NR](JAF)

Three Kings(1999) MPAA Rating: R for graphic war violence, language and some sexuality; Director: David O. Russell. We could find insufficient curriculum related content to recommend this movie. It has been praised as showing how Third World people view the U.S. [ITO](JAF)

Three Little Pigs(1933) MPAA Rating: Approved; Director: Burt Gillett. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

The Three Musketeers(1935) No MPAA Rating; Director: Rowland V. Lee (B & W version with Paul Lukas, Moroni Olson, Onslow Stevens). This film is dated. There is a newer version that's better. [NA](JAF)

Three O'Clock High(1987) MPAA Rating: PG-13; Director: Phil Joanou. This is a teenage fantasy about being singled out by the bully for destruction and surviving to get not only the girl, but the young English teacher, and the gorgeous popular girl who had been previously unobtainable. There is a good chunk of violence in the movie. It's almost cookie cutter but still gratuitous. There really isn't much to recommend this film for adults to show to kids. [NR](JAF & DEF, 2007)

Through Navajo Eyes (Series) (1966) No MPAA Rating; Director: Multiple. This series is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion (2002) No MPAA Rating; Director: Tom Piozet. This is an excellent documentary about the Chinese government's cultural genocide in Tibet. In a wider sense, the movie shows a situation in which non-violence as a technique to resist oppression has not worked. This issue is presented in the film and discussed. See discussion of this situation in "A Force More Powerful." The problem with the documentary is that it is 104 minutes and would probably eat up too much class time. It would be a good movie to include in a list of movies about non-violence, repression, or Asian history that students could watch at home. [PD] & [ITO](JAF, 2006)

The Tiger and the Snow(2005) No MPAA Rating; Director: Roberto Benigni. This movie is in Italian with subtitles. It deals with adult romantic themes and will probably not be interesting to children. [ITO](JAF & DEF)

A Time for Burning(1967) No MPAA Rating; Directors: Barbara Connell and William C. Jersey. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

A Time Out of War(1954) No MPAA Rating; Director: Denis Sanders. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Timer(2009) MPAA Rating: R; Director: Jac Schaeffer. This is a mildly entertaining exploration of what the world would be like if we knew when we were going to meet that special someone who will be our soul-mate for life. An alarm in a bracelet sounds when we were are in their presence for the first time. Eventually, the heroine rebels against this predestined romantic future. ITO(JAF, 2013)

A Time to Love and a Time to Die(1958) No MPAA Rating; Director: Douglas Sirk. See the section on this movie in History Goes to the Movies.

Tin Toy(1988) No MPAA Rating; Director: John Lasseter. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Titanic(1997) MPAA Rating: PG-13 for disaster related peril and violence, nudity, sensuality and brief language; Director: James Cameron. Suggested by a TWM User. See the sections on this movie in Reel v. Real: How Hollywood Turns Fact Into Fiction and History Goes to the Movies. A teacher who is an expert at using film in the classroom has developed a way to use scenes from this movie for certain activities. See Reading in the Dark, by John Golden, 2001, National Council of Teachers of English. [LI]

To Be or Not to Be(1942) No MPAA Rating; Director: Ernst Lubitsch. This film is ranked #49 on the American Film Institute's List of the 100 Funniest American Movies of All Time (2006). This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film. No substance that we could find. [ITO](JAF)

To Catch a Thief(1955) No MPAA Rating; Director: Alfred Hitchcock. This movie features the suave Cary Grant and the beautiful Grace Kelly at the height of their careers. There is a little curriculum related content about the French Resistance during WW II and the need to make work opportunities available to released convicts. We think this is too little for the film to be a teaching tool, but we highly recommend it for wonderful entertainment and an opportunity to watch Grant and Kelly. [ITO](JAF & DEF)

To Fly!(1976) No MPAA Rating; Directors: Jim Freeman and Greg MacGillivray. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Tol'able David(1921) No MPAA Rating; Director: Henry King. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son(1969) No MPAA Rating; Director: Ken Jacobs. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Top Hat(1935) No MPAA Rating; Director: Mark Sandrich. This film is ranked #15 on the American Film Institute's List of the Greatest Movie Musicals of All Time (2006). This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Topaz(1945) No MPAA Rating; Director: Dave Tatsuno. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Topper(1937) No MPAA Rating; Director: Norman Z. McLeod. This film is ranked #60 on the American Film Institute's List of the 100 Funniest American Movies of All Time (2006).

Topsy-Turvy(1999) MPAA Rating: R for a scene of risque nudity; Director: Mike Leigh. The movie treats the lives and relationship of famed operetta kings Gilbert and Sullivan. We can't recommend it as a teaching tool because of the one scene of "risque nudity" which earned the film its R rating. We have not investigated the movie's historical accuracy but it was fun to see these men (whose beautiful operettas we have enjoyed many times) come to life. [PD](JAF)

Tortilla Flat(1942) No MPAA Rating; Director: Victor Fleming. The story is now politically incorrect in that the presentation of Latinos is offensive. But if this can be discussed and its negative effects isolated, the movie might be helpful. It is based upon a classic story by John Steinbeck. [LI]

Touch of Evil(1958) MPAA Rating: PG-13; Director: Orson Welles. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Touching the Void(2003) MPAA Rating: R for language; Director: Kevin Macdonald. See the entry for this film in Reading in the Reel World: Teaching Documentaries and Other Nonfiction Texts by John Golden, National Council of Teachers of English, 2006. (JAF & DEF)

Traffic in Souls(1913) No MPAA Rating; Director: George Loane Tucker. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Trance and Dance in Bali(1952) No MPAA Rating; Directors: Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Transamerica(2005) MPAA Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, language and drug use; Director: Duncan Tucker. This is a delightful and profound film about changing gender, acceptance, redemption, and the potential for redemption through love. There is far too much sexual material to recommend this movie for students in school, but the relationship that develops on a transit across the country between a transsexual waiting for his/her life changing surgery, and the abused 17 year old son s/he never knew existed, leaves viewers rooting for them and respecting them both. The acting is outstanding. [NR](JAF & DEF, 2008)

Tree of the Wooden Clogs(1978) No MPAA Rating; Director: Ermanno Olmi. This movie is beautifully filmed and gives you a real feeling for the hard and gritty life of Italian peasants. It is not accessible for children and is slow moving. [NA](JAF)

Trial(1955) No MPAA Rating; Director: Mark Robson. See the section on this movie in Reel Justice.

Trial by Jury(1994) MPAA Rating: R; Director: Heywood Gould. This movie shows a juror terrorized by a mob boss defendant. There are lots of murders in this film. It is not recommended by Reel Justice for its inaccuracies in the description of the legal process. For films that TWM recommends relating to the U.S. legal system, see the Subject Matter Index under United States/The Law. [NR](JAF)

Triumph of the Will(1935) No MPAA Rating; Director: Leni Riefenstahl. See the entry for this film in Reading in the Reel World: Teaching Documentaries and Other Nonfiction Texts by John Golden, National Council of Teachers of English, 2006. (JAF & DEF)

Trouble in Paradise(1932) MPAA Rating: Approved; Director: Ernst Lubitsch. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia(2002) No MPAA Rating; Director: Jennifer Baichwal. See the entry for this film in Reading in the Reel World: Teaching Documentaries and Other Nonfiction Texts by John Golden, National Council of Teachers of English, 2006. (JAF & DEF)

Trust the Man(2005)
MPAA Rating: R for language and sexual content; Director: Bart
Freundlich. This is a romantic comedy about two couples, one married and the other, well, she is trying and he is reluctant. The problem for the married couple is that the actress wife is distant and inconsiderate of the needs of her house-husband. He finds some solace in the arms of a divorcee at the day care center. However, he is still in love with his wife, etc. There is very little to recommend this film as something that adults should show to children. Nothing much wrong with it either and it's mildly entertaining. [NR](JAF &
DEF, 2007)

Tuesdays With Morrie(1999) No MPAA Rating (TV); Director: Mick Jackson. In this wonderful movie an older man with a terminal illness faces death with courage and equanimity, transforming the life of one of his students. [LI](JAF & DEF, 2008)

Tulips Shall Grow(1942) MPAA Rating: Approved; Director: George Pal. This film is listed in the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film.

Tupac: Resurrection(2003) MPAA Rating: R for strong language and images of drugs, violence and sex; Director: Lauren Lazin. See the entry for this film in Reading in the Reel World: Teaching Documentaries and Other Nonfiction Texts by John Golden, National Council of Teachers of English, 2006. (JAF & DEF)

Twilight(2008) MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality; Director: Catherine Hardwicke Kids, especially girls, love this book. The movie is alright but not great and certainly you don't want to prevent anyone from reading the book by showing the movie. NR(JAF)

Two Bits (Also known as "A Day to Remember")(1995) MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some traumatic thematic elements; Director: John Foley. This film is about a ten-year-old boy living in a poor Italian section of New York during the Depression. The film follows the last day of his grandfather's life. The boy is trying to earn enough money to go to a newly opened movie theater and in this effort has a number of experiences. These include an approach by a lonely housewife who, when the young boy rejects her, hangs herself. The film is richly photographed and the relationship between the boy and his grandfather is close and warm. But the film doesn't go much below the surface and is short on real curriculum related content. [ITO](JAF)

Two Gentlemen of Verona(1983) No MPAA Rating; Director: Don Taylor. Not accessible for children. [NA](JAF)